























- F ; 3 “4 
in ce , Pp 4 AS, 94 ¢ 
re % é ot 2 mi 2 
i pee 
p Be "y * ot ~ 
“ . 3 Filia Thetis. % 
4 , y eS ¥ F : =) % 
> : 6 f 
; . i 


























fp 
} 
q F 
et ‘ 
i» 
: 
; " 
4 ' 
‘ 
\ 
vais 
t 
fe i] 
; oh A 
‘ ; 
‘ 
ja 
( 
< 
a ’ 
’ J ‘ 
n 
: 
v 
a 3 
« 
‘J i] 
: 
. 
f 
ty, 
~~ . 


> Pe mks 
ye) ren 
as 


£ 
f 
be, 
} 
i 
1 
‘ 
its 
i 
‘ 
ee 
* \ 
. 
a 
ob 
ie | , 
k : 
? 
+ 





“The Spirit of ’76” 





na 





Fea 2 of. 
= Al 


ie * 


» oie 


f\ 


<¥ x 


a 


ee 74 


oo 


& 
eA 


pe 


we 
5 





ae 
4 





“ 








"The Spirit of ’76”’ 


Some Recollections of the 
Artist and the Painting 


bY 
Henry Kelsey Devereux 





Cleveland 
Privately Printed for the Author 
1926 





‘ 


* . eet | Copyright 1926, by 
ee AA Tes Vettori Henry K, Devereux 


‘ 
. ~ 
. 
} 
“bib 
° } 
x * . 
4 . 
i = 62% > sie i} 
fens Wis, ek 
’ } ie 


iY 
4 
‘ 
A 
Tayae' 
‘ 
' 
” 
7) 
i 
} 
“ 
i 

v 

? 

J 
Vt 
{ i aus > 
é 
‘ \ ‘ 
t 
(ge ot he 
i : P 
: A Ph nit 
. i i ‘ H \ 
» a i 
4 ‘ " Masks 
f 1 





To my father, JOHN HENRY DEVEREUX 
I would dedicate this little volume -—a 
man whose loving-kindness so true; 
whose godliness, faith, and devo- 
tion —strengthened by firmness 
always fair—has ever been 
an inspiration 




















; 


ib ee ah 
+ RENO 


Y Bie G. 





Contents 


PREFACE . : 3 p : é : 
ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD, A BRIEF SKETCH . 
THe Firer — Hucu MosHer . ; : 


THE DrumMMmMeR Boy—HENrRY KELSEY 
DEVEREUX . ; ; : : ‘ 


AN EARLY ACCOUNT BY J. F. RyprEr. : 
"THE PRELIMINARY SKETCHES AND REPLICAS 


15 
21 


39 


47 
61 


Tt 





Illustrations 


THE SPIRIT OF ’76 : : 5 Frontispiece 
Reproduced from the original painting now 
hanging in the Town Hall at Marblehead, 
Massachusetts. This reproduction is accurate 
as to details, and reproduces the original colors 
as closely as possible. Some years ago, on ac- 
count of the demand for reproductions of this 
painting and the danger of damage to the 
valuable original, by a vote of the town of 
Marblehead, action was taken that no further 
reproductions from the original should be per- 
mitted; hence, many of the reproductions now 
available are not reproductions of the original 
painting but of one or other of the later replicas. 
These replicas differ in many respects from the 
original, both as to details and coloring. 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD . < : : 23 


“YANKEE DOoopDLeE” . : : ; 29 
Willard’s original conception for the humorous 
painting submitted to J. F. Ryder, as reproduced 
by Willard in 1898 and presented to The Rev- 
erend William E. Barton, in whose possession 
it still remains. 


HucH MosHeEr ‘ ; : ; : 4I 


14 SDHE SPIRTIORT 67 


Henry Kesey DEVEREUX : : 
THE REVEREND SAMUEL WILLARD . 


THE FINAL PRELIMINARY CRAYON STUDY 
SKETCH . : : : : : 
Showing one of the stages in the final evolution 
of the finished painting. Believed to be the 
only study sketch now in existence. Presented 
by Willard to Doctor Barton and still in his pos- 
session. 





ne bi 
ab nite ye} 





Preface 


Nearly fifty years have passed since 
Archibald M. Willard painted “The 
Spirit of ’76.”. Mr. Willard has passed, 
and so have all who were intimately con- 
nected with its creation, except myself. 
Probably no painting, the creation of an 
American artist, has received such wide 
and continuous interest and attention as 
this patriotic painting. Many times dur- 
ing the last quarter of a century, I have 
been urged to record my recollections of 
Willard and my association with this his- 
torical painting. Many times I have 
been asked for information which did not 
come under my personal observation. As 
the years pass, this demand for informa- 
tion has become more insistent and more 
urgent. This little volume has been pre- 


18 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 


pared partly to meet this demand, but 
more especially to accede to the oft-re- 
peated requests of my family and friends. 

These requests for information have 
not always been confined to my own expe- 
riences. ‘Therefore, the more fully to 
meet the wishes of my family and friends, 
to my own personal recollections I have 
added a brief sketch of the artist, of Hugh 
Mosher the fifer, and Mr. Ryder’s own 
account of the conception and purpose of 
the artist, written many years ago and 
now difficult to find. I have also added a 
few words regarding the extant original 
sketches and the Replica of 1912. 

H. K. D. 

January 1926 










i, 


y 













eae 
mAs wt ay a, 
CURA ETS 













ayveyy 
hey 


me 

















Archibald M. Willard 
a brief sketch 











at the 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 
age of forty, when he painted the “Spirit 


of °76” 


A brief sketch of Archibald M. 
Willard and the Spirit of ’76 


“The Spirit of ’76” is the best known 
painting produced by an American, and 
at the same time one of the most inspiring 
works of art ever issued in America. It 
may not conform to any orthodox school 
of painting or possess the fine points of 
technique that some critics demand, but 
as an inspiration of patriotism, I doubt if 
any painting has had as wide and contin- 
uous influence as “The Spirit of 76.” It 
has been reproduced in one form and an- 
other millions of times, by almost every 
available process —-chromo-lithography, 
steel-engraving, half-tone, and the various 
color processes. It is perhaps available 
in more homes than any other American 
painting, either framed or in magazines, 


24 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 


printed books, school histories, calendars, 
posters, etc. Many a patriotic parade has 
included the famous trio of this painting. 

Although the painting is so universally 
known, it is surprising that so little au- 
thentic printed material is available 
either on the artist himself or the story of 
the creation of this, his most celebrated 
work. 

Archibald M. Willard, the painter of 
“The Spirit of ’76” was born in Bedford, 
Ohio, August 22, 1836. His father, the 
Reverend Samuel Willard, was a Baptist 
minister and a Vermonter. In the home 
was grandfather Willard, between whom 
and the young artist there grew to be a 
strong bond of understanding and sym- 
pathy. The grandfather, a relative of 
General Stark and a soldier of the Revo- 
lutionary War, was one of the Green 
Mountain boys who was at the surrender 
of General Burgoyne. Grandfather and 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 25 


grandson spent much time together in 
rambles through the then picturesque 
Bedford glens. The rugged surround- 
ings appealed to young Willard’s artistic 
sense. ‘he old man figured often in the 
boy’s cartoons. Many a tree was stripped 
of its outer bark to produce a smooth 
surface upon which with red chalk and 
charred embers the young artist produced 
savages of hideous mien. As frequently 
happens with young artists, young Wil- 
lard did not receive much encouragement 
from the Willard family, perhaps be- 
cause every smooth surface of wall, barn- 
door, board fence, etc., bore evidence to 
the budding genius. 

For varying periods, the family were 
located at Kent, Salem, Aurora, Mantua, 
and La Grange. When Willard was a 
lad of seventeen, the family moved to 
Wellington, Lorain county, Ohio. At the 
outbreak of the Civil War, Willard en- 


26 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


listed in the Eighty-sixth Ohio Regiment. 
While with his regiment at Cumberland 
Gap, he painted several pictures of the 
surrounding country. ‘These were photo- 
graphed and many of the photographs 
were sold to his comrades. 

With the close of the Civil War, Arch- 
ibald M. Willard, then a sturdy young 
man, returned to Wellington, together 
with his close companion, Hugh Mosher. 
Both had served faithfully and well. 
Willard had become a non-commissioned 
officer. He secured employment in the 
shop of E. S. Tripp, a wheelwright and 
wagon-maker. The old shop still stands 
at Wellington. Willard’s original job 
was to paint the wagons. From the mere 
painting of the wagons he gradually 
passed to decorating the wagons artistic- 
ally, and finally to decorating, with wood- 
land and animal scenes, a number of 
gaudy circus chariots. He did this work 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD oy; 


so artistically that ‘““Tripp’s wagons” be- 
came known all over that part of the 
country. There was codperation between 
the two men, for apart from the artistic 
painting, the wagons themselves were 
sturdily and well-built. Waillard’s artis- 
tic temperament carried him beyond mere 
commercial painting. He began paint- 
ing pictures on the wagon boxes. ‘These 
were so well executed that they created 
much comment. He gradually became so 
elaborate in these, that his employer, Mr. 
Tripp, had to restrain him. Undoubtedly 
the interest created by these paintings sold 
many a wagon for their builder and ad- 
vertised him in a most unusual way. If 
any of these Willard-decorated-Tripp- 
wagons were now available, they would 
bring a price far in excess of the cost of 
the wagons themselves. 

While working at his trade as wagon 
painter, Willard devoted all his spare 


28 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


time, energy, and what little money he 
could save to the study of painting on 
canvas. He had a very decided sense of 
humor and nearly all of his earlier sub- 
jects are of a humorous character. It was 
early in the seventies that he painted the 
first two pictures from which he received 
compensation. These were the outcome 
of a request by his employer’s daughter 
asking him to paint a picture for her. 
“Pluck number One” was the result. It 
depicts a dog hitched to a little wagon, a 
boy driving, and his baby sister in the 
wagon with him. The dog takes off the 
road in chase of a rabbit, and the little 
boy desperately trying to stop him. A 
wreck follows where the rabbit jumps a 
log, but the youthful occupant clinging 
to the lines, and the little sister, escapes 
unhurt. 

In Cleveland at this time was a pho- 
tographer and art dealer named J. F. 


"ae 


nae aie! 


wed 








AMWillard. 


“YANKEE DOODLE” 
Willard’s original conception for the humorous painting 
submitted to J. F. Ryder. From this, the “Spirit of ’76,” 
with its far-reaching inspiration, was finally evolved 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 29 


Ryder. This painting came to his atten- 
tion with other early productions by Wil- 
lard. The astute Ryder quickly recog- 
nized the quaint humor and _ natural 
ability displayed in these early pictures. 
Willard thereupon painted a sequel to 
“Pluck” which he entitled “Pluck num- 
ber Two.” Mr. Ryder had these two 
paintings reproduced in color by chromo- 
lithography. They became two of the 
most popular pictures of their day. They 
sold at ten dollars the pair. Many thous- 
ands were sold. This proved to be the 
beginning of a long and profitable busi- 
ness acquaintance and lasting friendship 
between Willard and Ryder. The pro- 
ceeds from the sale of these pictures per- 
mitted Willard to take an art course in 
the studio of J. D. Eaton, of New York. 
This was in 1873. 

Following this, Willard painted among 
other things a picture which he called 


30 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 


“Yankee Doodle.” It was an ordinary 
sized canvas and delineated a Fourth of 
July celebration in a country village. An 
old man in the center beating a drum, 
with a younger man on each side, the one 
with a drum, the other with a fife. The 
surroundings and background were rural. 
This painting was finished a few months 
prior to the opening of the Centennial Ex- 
position of 1876 at Philadelphia. When 
Mr. Ryder saw the picture, he immedi- 
ately conceived the idea of changing the 
subject from humorous to patriotic, and 
Willard concurred in the idea. 
Contrary to a rather general belief, 
“The Spirit of ’76” was not painted for 
exhibition at the Centennial. At that 
period there was a general and wide- 
spread spirit of patriotism and the days 
of the Revolutionary War were especially 
before the people of this country. Mr. 
Ryder had this prominently in mind and 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 31 


for this reason he suggested to Willard 
the painting of this picture that reproduc- 
tions therefrom might be made and a 
large number of these reproductions 
sold generally throughout the coun- 
try and particularly at the Centennial. It 
was not sent to the Centennial until many 
of these colored reproductions had been 
distributed, and a large popular interest 
in the painting had arisen. It was then, 
on special request made by those in charge 
of the Centennial that the original paint- 
ing itself was sent to the Exposition. 
Mr. Ryder suggested that the title be 
“Yankee Doodle” and under this title 
“The Spirit of ’76” was at first known. 
He left the conception and development 
of the painting to Willard’s imagination. 
At that early period after the Civil 
War, when the training days of the 
militia system had practically gone to 
pieces, the various companies were ex- 


32 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


pected to go into camp for three days 
each year. These days had become a 
neighborhood picnic. Uniforms were 
seldom in evidence. There were few 
guns or swords. There were, however, 
always the flag, the fife, and the drum. 
Willard had this idea prominently before 
him. ‘He slashed into outline various 
charcoal attempts, but the lines would not 
fall or respond as he wanted them to. The 
real idea as to what Yankee Doodle and 
the men who fifed it and drummed it, 
stood for, eventually began to thrust itself 
persistently into the pencil points. W4l- 
lard daily became more enthused over the 
patriotic features to be delineated. His 
early days of marching and fighting under 
the stars and stripes helped greatly in 
stirring his patriotic enthusiasm, which 
later was put upon and filled the com- 
pleted canvas. 

While Willard was engaged in paint- 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 33 


ing this picture, his father, who was pos- 
ing as his central figure, became critically 
ill. He did not live to see the finished 
painting. When Willard was told that 
his father was soon to pass away, all 
thoughts of a humorous picture faded 
from his mind. He decided to paint his 
father as he really was. 

After Willard became acquainted with 
Mr. Ryder, at Ryder’s suggestion, Wil- 
lard moved to Cleveland. He used as a 
studio, a small room on the fourth floor 
of what used to be the Union National 
Bank Building located at Euclid Avenue 
and what was then Hickox Alley, Cleve- 
land, Ohio. From this time on Willard 
spent almost his entire life in Cleveland. 

This little studio had a northern ex- 
posure, and he was artist enough, even 
then, to realize the value of the northern 
light. His canvas when stretched was 
taller than himself. Huis idea had become 


34 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


a big one and nothing but life-size would 
do for the figures to be used. He fol- 
lowed the general idea of his first picture, 
“Yankee Doodle ora Fourth of July Cele- 
bration” but the spirit of the whole was 
changed. The old man in the center was 
Willard’s own father, a tall, straight, 
powerful man, with flowing white locks 
yet the figure of a man of thirty, without 
coat, bare-headed, his white hair blowing 
in the breeze, his shirt sleeves loose, 
marching forward with a step as firm and 
unhesitating as the grim and determined 
look on his face. The face of the old man 
shows features which could be kind, but 
now set like flint in the face of the enemy— 
filled with the courage of a man who has 
put character, and thought, and prayer 
into the music through which he utters 
his patriotic purpose. Perhaps there is a 
bit of humor in the figure of the fifer — it 
could not be otherwise — for it is a por- 


ARCHIBALD M. WILLARD 35 


trait of the fifer of Wellington, Hugh 
Mosher. While depicting his humorous 
face with its puckered mouth, there is the 
same air of determination in the figure, 
the eyes, and the forward step, that so 
mark the picture of the old man. In these 
characters one sees the spirit of men who 
will stand and play until they die, or by 
their contagious heroism will turn the 
tide of battle. 

As already stated, for the first few 
years the painting was known under the 
title of “Yankee Doodle.” While the pic- 
ture was on exhibition in Boston, Mr. 
Brainerd, who had charge of the exhibi- 
tion, suggested changing the title to 
“Yankee Doodle, or the Spirit of °76.” 
This suggestion was made because at that 
time in Boston there was a public char- 
acter, a half-wit, who was commonly 
known about the city as “Yankee Doo- 
dle.” In some curious way, the painting 


36 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


and this half-wit were being confused in 
the public mind. This change of title 
was adopted. Finally ‘“Yanke Doodle” 
was dropped entirely and the painting 
has since been known under the title of 
“The Spirit of ’76.” 








The Fifer 


Cou, Gir We a ah et Betty AE tee 
eo eH ts ays 4 ‘ J pa i *y € ye 


rox nay, a vari , ‘ ’ 4 p . : er ate 











i 4 . J x 
PSA pies a atk ea waiare Ceres Pian 
J oN ee mat on” a, hy Ge ba es 
gut 8 Pe Ay moe iA ey RE Ysa 
Cone M oad. deen ht gata Se | oo : Liye anki 
Ve ‘ NP 
1 * 4 , oat 
5) Par ee’ ym 4 
Peas ey 
. ' Ba.» 
«1 u ‘ ; ei 
4 + 4 7 - 
. . 4 ¢ 
4 
; ia 4 . 
i 
q c § 
O43 ; : UD if ‘ 
r ti 7 
‘ i 7 { We ‘ t 
x sha 4 
ava, ae, 
red » f 7 1 % 
j 
‘ . My - ‘ 
; 
é el CEP | . 
y Y 
; i 
i 
‘ 
‘ 
’ 
, 
‘ \ 
1 
‘ 
i *} 
\ \ 
’ , ‘ 
’ 4 
F 
‘ 
, ~ 
C 
y 4 - 
" 
‘ 
, 
+f 
7 
‘ 
os 
A . 
f 
7 
< 
i Ms 
m. 
; i 
\ 
h' 
, 
. 
{ ) 
- 
é 
on} 
eM 
: : 
a ( 
v 
sp 
» 
7 A 
Hh 
aaa A ak 
Ai - 
N/ 
i 
) 
’ ; 
, J 
‘ 
\ 
’ 
rf 
A 4 
i 
- 
1 
4 ii 
. . 
. 
: . $ 
ea J 
" 
; 1 
> k 
. hy, 
‘ yi 
r : ee 
7 ay) ht 
‘ i 
; j F 
ta ‘ 








> 
: ‘ 
4 ‘ 
\ f 
‘i 
* 
’ i 
+ 
‘ 
‘ 
: 
4 
ming 
> 
“ . a 3 
; ’ be 
‘ ‘ 
4 
‘ 
‘ 
~ ; ~ 
* ~ Mas * 
* re ie 
ee el 
We re ae . 
: \ a 
~ =u a 








HucHu MosHeEr 


who posed as the fifer. From an original photograph 
made by William F. Sawtelle of Wellington, Ohio 


The Fifer- Hugh Mosher 


When Archibald M. Willard returned 
home from service in the Civil War, there 
came back with him to Wellington his 
comrade, Hugh Mosher. Mr. Willard 
first became acquainted with Mosher af- 
ter the family moved to Wellington. 
They soon became close and lifelong 
friends. Their service in the Civil War, 
in which they were comrades, more 
closely cemented this friendship. 

Hugh Mosher was born at Perry, Lake 
county, Ohio, January twenty-ninth, 1819, 
and died at Brighton, Ohio, August fif- 
teenth, 1892. His father served in the 
War of 1812, and his grandfather had 
served in the Revolutionary War. He 
himself enlisted for the Civil War, and 
became a fifer in Company H, Forty- 


42 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


third Infantry Regiment, Ohio Volun- 
teers. He never fully recovered from the 
effects of his army hardships. 

He was a tall and well built man, over 
six feet in height. In appearance he sug- 
gested a typical frontiersman of the Dan- 
iel Boone or Simon Girty type. 

Hugh Mosher (or Mosier as it is some- 
times wrongly spelled) who posed as the 
fifer, spent most of his life in Wellington, 
Ohio. Returning from the Civil War, he 
again took up his farmwork. He was a 
celebrated performer on the fife, and his 
fame had spread throughout the sur- 
rounding country. He was probably the 
best fifer in northern Ohio. It is said of 
him that he would rather fife than eat. 
He carried this little instrument with him 
wherever he went and delighted to play 
whenever chance offered. No patriotic 
gathering in or near Wellington was con- 
sidered complete without Mosher and his 


THE FIFER 43 


fife. He was intensely patriotic, and even 
in his last illness deeply regretted being 
unable to attend the celebration of the 
Fourth of July in his home town of Wel- 
lington. 

He spent considerable time posing for 
Mr. Willard, and many photographs of 
him were taken by Mr. William F. Saw- 
telle, a photographer of Wellington, for 
use in Willard’s painting. Willard, how- 
ever, could not get satisfactory photo- 
graphs of Hugh Mosher. This was be- 
fore the day of the quick-acting shutter. 
The cap of the camera could not be oper- 
ated quickly enough to get satisfactory 
expression. For this reason, poor Hugh 
Mosher had to go to Willard’s studio and 
pose. In order to get the proper expres- 
sion, Mosher not only had to pose, but 
had to continue fifing all the time he was 
posing. Willard had a habit of calling 
attention to the peculiar way in which 


44 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 
Mosher held his fife—with the thumb 


out. 

The rumor is that after Willard had 
made his many and individual studies of 
Mosher, that Mosher was unable to get 
to Cleveland to see the finished canvas of 
“The Spirit of ’76.”. He didi not/seeut 
until he visited the Centennial. 

At the Centennial there was always a 
crowd around the painting. Mosher 
joined the crowd. While he thus stood 
before the picture, someone in the crowd 
recognized him, and he was immediately 
given an ovation. 

One of the original sketches for the 
fifer, I believe, still exists. It was in ex- 
istence and exhibited in Cleveland, No- 
vember, 1912. At the same time also was 
exhibited a marble figure of the old 
drummer, Willard’s father. 











The Drummer Boy 


- 











Henry KetsEy DEVEREUX 
who posed for the drummer boy. From an original 
portrait taken about 1878 


The Drummer Boy-H.K.D 


In the original sketches for “Yankee 
Doodle,” Willard depicted three grown 
men. When the humorous aspect faded 
from his conception, and he decided to 
depict his father seriously, he conceived 
the idea of including for his third figure 
a young lad instead of a grown man. In 
this way, the picture would present three 
generations of patriots, the grandfather 
in the center, the father at his side, and on 
his right, the grandson looking up into 
grandpa’s face with confidence and ad- 
miration. 

In 1875, there was organized in Cleve- 
land, Brooks School, a preparatory school 
for boys from ten years upward. It was 
so named after its inceptor, the Reverend 
John Brooks, who lost his life in a most 


50 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 


tragic manner while in Boston to secure a 
principal for the school. It was a mili- 
tary school. In 1876, it was domiciled in 
its building on Carnegie Avenue (then 
Sibley Street) near the present East ‘Thir- 
ty-sixth street. The spirit of the boys in 
the school was very military. They had 
for instructor the late Captain F. A. Ken- 
dall, who served with distinction during 
the Civil War. Three companies com- 
posed the Brooks School Battalion. The 
first company composed of the older boys; 
the second, of the intermediate; and the 
third, of the smaller boys in both age and 
stature. For some reason the third com- 
pany, in competitive drills, always won 
over the other two. ‘This was due un- 
doubtedly to the natural sympathy older 
people always have for the younger and 
smaller when in competition. I was cap- 
tain of the Third Company and it was my 
observation that the little fellows usually 


THE DRUMMER BOY weSE 


got most of any sympathy being given, 
yet, too, it was a noticeable fact that they 
tried harder, paid closer attention, and 
usually drilled more perfectly than the 
older boys. On the sixth of March, 1876, 
the Brooks School Battalion gave a com- 
petitive drill at their armory, in compli- 
ment to the Cleveland Grays, and as may 
be guessed every boy was on his toes to 
show the hero soldiers in gray what could 
be done. Mr. Willard, desiring a subject 
to use in his picture as a drummer boy, 
attended this drill. Why he selected me 
never has been explained to me. Maybe 
an incident in the drill of the Third Com- 
pany had its effect. Anyway, to this day, 
although nearly fifty years have passed, 
recalling the happenings of that day 
brings to me a thrill for the earnest effort 
and perfection of drill of those little fel- 
lows. The two companies of larger boys 
had passed through their drill in a way to 


52 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


please everybody. When it came time for 
the little fellows to march out, every boy 
was keyed to the limit. They went 
through the set maneuvers perfectly and 
when about finished, it popped into my 
head to try something very difficult that 
the others had not tried. Marching down 
the side of the hall in column of fours, 
and wheeling to the left, at the end I gave 
the order “fours left into line and for- 
ward guide right double-quick march.” 
So perfect was the spacing between the 
fours that they wheeled into line in per- 
fect alignment, broke into double quick 
as one, and went charging down the hall 
toward the spectators amid a burst of ap- 
plause. That settled the day and the 
Third Company retained the honor of 
being the color company. 

One thing that likely intensified this 
military spirit among us was the fact that 
just at this time there was on exhibition 


THE DRUMMER BOY 53 


at Cleveland, a panorama of the Battle of 
Lookout Mountain. It was a splendid 
picture, aroused much enthusiasm, and 
the proceeds—in part at least— went to 
pay for the completion of the soldier’s 
monument at Dayton. A select squad 
from the Brooks School Battalion gave 
an exhibition drill in front of the picture 
to help the entertainment. 

Shortly after this competitive drill, my 
father told me he had given permission to 
Mr. Willard to use me as a model for the 
drummer boy in his picture. I recall a 
feeling of resentment on my part for that 
meant giving up afternoon play, a thing 
not to be contemplated with a feeling of 
joy by any boy. However, paternal edicts 
generally prevail, and a beginning was 
made by going down to Mr. Ryder’s gal- 
lery and posing for a number of photos. 
This was followed by a number of visits 
to Willard’s studio where hours were 


54 “THE SPIRIT OF *76” 


passed in rather a trying way for a boy. 
Willard was very kind and thoughtful. 
He entertained me with stories of the war, 
told me what was in his mind for the crea- 
tion of this picture, and often would let 
me rest and walk in front of the picture 
to see what he had done. I can recall the 
enthusiasm of the man. He worked as if 
possessed of an idea that pleased him, but 
which he might lose. With watching 
him work and the picture develop, I too 
soon became enthusiastic. I forgot that it 
was tiresome to stand on one leg, and that 
bent, the other advanced, and the foot 
resting on an inverted box, with the head 
twisted to one side and the eyes raised 
and arms outstretched, although it was 
really very exacting of one’s temper and 
strength. However, things progressed 
rapidly, and by the thirtieth of March the 
picture was about finished, and I took my 
mother, at Willard’s request to see it. I 


THE DRUMMER BOY 55 


am sure she experienced the feeling that 
thousands of our mothers have when they 
have seen their beloved son marching off 
to war. And then the momentous day 
came when it was rolled up and sent to 
the Centennial. 

That fall I went to the Centennial with 
my parents. We spent about two weeks 
there. Almost every day I went into the 
Art Gallery to stand before “The Spirit 
Go 7o. @ atiach time: [ felt. something 
aroused in me that did not diminish by 
the frequent visits. It also was curious 
to mark the effect on others. Always 
there was a crowd in front of the picture 
and many if not most of the people had 
perceptible tears rise to their eyes as they 
stood and gazed. Many actually cried, 
yet came again and again to look with 
reverence on that canvas that pulsed so 
much of American spirit. 

Later in life I stood before the picture 


56 “THE SPIRIT OF 776” 


again, where it now hangs in Abbot Hall, 
Marblehead, Mass., for which town my 
father, Colonel John Henry Devereux, 
bought the picture and presented it there- 
to. Then, as before, not only to me but to 
all in the room, arose a feeling of senti- 
ment, a feeling of reverence, a feeling 
almost of awe that made one instinctively 
‘bare one’s head and swallow the lump 
that will sometimes come in one’s throat. 

It may be that enthusiasm borne of an 
intimate knowledge of the creation of this 
picture makes me over-enthusiastic, but 
then and afterwards, even to this day, 
when [ learn how it holds the interest of 
all that look at it, the belief is strength- 
ened that the picture was an inspiration, 
though it might be judged crude in ex- 
ecution by artistic standards. I know lit- 
tle or nothing of art, nor does the ordinary 
individual looking at a picture, but any 
one picture that can so universally move 


THE DRUMMER BOY 57 


the onlooker must convey something 
deeper than the pigments on the canvas. 
The determination and fight depicted by 
the old man in face and figure, without 
uniform, in shirt sleeves, coat off, sleeves 
loose, vest open and shirt open at throat 
without collar or stock is symbolical of 
the patriot ready to fight without pur- 
chase or thought of anything but the 
cause at heart. The fifer, a touch of hu- 
mor for his, a humorous face, his fringe 
of whiskers, but a bandage about his head 
on which blood shows, a twinkle in his 
eye, but a set look on the face and a de- 
cided poise in the figure marching to his 
own fife music. The boy fresh from a 
loving mother’s care and carefully uni- 
formed, his eyes fixed upon his adored 
grandsire that he may do all that this 
loved, brave, and loyal man is determined 
to do. The wounded soldier in the fore- 
ground, his head pillowed on the shell- 


58 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


shattered wheel of a cannon, with heart 
and strength enough left to raise his cap 
in salute to “Old Glory.” Over them 
all the flag of freedom, the stars and 
stripes, back of which come the first line 
of cheering patriotic troops entering ac- 
tion. It tells the story of the old way, 
and of the spirit and determination when 
men fought face to face, each individual 
a fighting machine to fight for love of 
country and freedom. 

The flag is really an anachronism, as 
although it depicts the thirteen stripes 
and the thirteen stars on a blue field, it 
was not until June, 1777, that the United 
State Congress really accepted this de- 
sign, and Betsy Ross made the first flag 
with these emblems. 

The painting created little or no stir 
among the art critics and connoisseurs. 
It was not painted for such. The paint- 
ing was a patriotic human document that 


THE DRUMMER BOY 59 


reached the hearts of millions and will 
for centuries to come be an inspiration to 
further millions yet unborn. 

Archibald M. Willard has passed. He 
may not be classed as a great artist but in 
the “Spirit of ’76” he painted himself into 
everlasting fame. 






arte fy SS 
eat g et hr, Raa e, 
\ ans ea eget? 


9 


<< 
<a 
aS 











5 
‘ 
4) 
« y 
1 J ; 
{ 
“ yi 
i 
(oa 
‘f 
i) j , 
* 
us ‘ 
? 
f 
i 
i 
3 q 
nat 
~~ i 
‘ i 
7 * ; 





- Ve! 
+ y 
“a 
fo 
r be 
» J F 
1 
“a 
a 
‘ 
ss 
t ‘ r 
. + 
‘ ‘ 
vf 
3) 
. i 
i 
’ 
his , . 
“ iy 
. 
: 
aN 
- 
i ry) arnt 
4 fis ' 
; 
t 
x 
4 . 
| C } 
¥ 
. 
’ 
i 
‘ > 





+ tht 
ture 
i 
q 7 
7 , 
- t e . 
’ ‘ 
Ll i Sy 1 
"> a , y 
. nan ) 
a ‘ PT St 
4 ' -7 ’ ‘ a4 
v 7 { * TH cheat, : 
4 i e*. 


An Early Account 





. <> a «: <a < 
0 BERS 


- We) “ 
Me: 3 Bibi AX 
7s ad a a? i rid — ie 
cp ae Pete <*. 


4 


a 
- 























THE REVEREND SAMUEL WILLARD 
who posed for the central figure in the painting 


An Early Account by J. F. Ryder 


The conception and purpose of the 
artist and his adviser cannot be better in- 
_ terpreted than in Mr. Ryder’s own words, 
written many years ago. 

“The idea of the artist in painting the 
picture was to concentrate all the deter- 
mination and enthusiasm possible in a 
few figures. No field afforded a better 
subject than the Revolution, with its de- 
termined old heroes and the air of ‘Yan- 
kee Doodle’ to rouse them to the highest 
pitch of enthusiasm. 

‘“‘The three chief figures meet all the 
requirements of the situation and are in 
true keeping with the surroundings. Over 
them lower the clouds of smoke from a 
battle-field toward which they are march- 
ing. Behind them a few brave Continen- 


64 “THE SPIRVI OF 76> 


tals struggle up the hill, while by the side 
of a dismantled cannon lies a wounded 
soldier who raised himself on his elebow 
to give a last cheer to the stirring strains 
of ‘Yankee Doodle.’ The lines have 
evidently been forced back. The dying 
soldier and the broken cannon show 
where the line has stood. The other sol- 
diers have been retreating. But the three 
musicians advance, and the sound of their 
music thrills the retreating troops with 
new courage. Hats are in the air; the 
flag has turned; the threatened defeat is 
about to become a victory. The dying 
man raised himself to cheer. The trio of 
homespun musicians are discoursing with 
all their might that music whose shrill 
melody is so surcharged with patriotism. 
The old drummer in the centre, bare- 
headed, grand in his fearlessness, without 
coat, one sleeve rolled up as though he 
had turned from the plough to grasp the 


J. F. RYDER’S ACCOUNT 65 


drumsticks, his white hair blown in the 
air, his eyes set close and defiant as though 
he saw the danger and feared it not, the 
sharp lines about his mouth showing a 
fixed determination—all combine to 
make up that wonderful figure in our his- 
tory which no rags could degrade nor 
splendor ennoble—the Continental sol- 
dier. 

“On the left of the brave old drummer 
is the fifer who seems to have come to 
blow his fife, and he will do it as well 
here among the flying bullets as in the 
porch of his cottage. His eyes are fixed 
toward the sky as though reading the 
notes of his music on the clouds. Around 
his brow is a blood-stained handkerchief, 
which tells of the bullet which grazed yet 
spared him. His whole energy is poured 
into the reed at his lips, and one can al- 
most hear the shrill notes of ‘Yankee 
Doodle’ above the noise of battle. 


66 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


“On the right of the old man marches 
a boy, hardly in his teens, whose drum 
keeps time to the beat of the other. His 
face is upturned to the old man, as though 
he were his grandfather, as if to question 
perhaps the route or the danger ahead, 
but still with a look of rapt inspiration. 
No shade of fear lurks in his calm eyes, 
while the ‘rub-a-dub’ of his little drum 
sounds as clear and distinct as the heavier 
roll of the aged drummer. 

“The entire group is conceived with a 
fervid sympathy which makes the obser- 
ver concede sure victory to the combat- 
ants; victory also to the artist. The man 
who had carried the stars and stripes, 
marching under the same thrilling tune, 
put his heart into the picture. The work 
was an inspiration. Mr. Willard had no 
thought of depicting three generations of 
one family, but the inference is so natural 
that he has cheerfully adopted it. 


J. F. RYDER’S ACCOUNT 67 


“The canvas is large and figures are 
heroic in size. When finished, the pic- 
ture was placed in the show window of 
my art store in Cleveland. The crowds 
which gathered about it blockaded the en- 
trance to the gallery and obstructed the 
sidewalk to such an extent that it was 
necessary to remove it from the window 
to the rear of the store, where it was on 
exhibition for several days, during which 
time all business in the store was discon- 
tinued on account of the crowds which 
filled the place. The interest and enthus- 
iasm which it created were remarkable. 
The late Right Reverend Bishop Bedell 
was a daily visitor and frequently spent 
an entire half day, so deeply was he im- 
pressed. 

“The painting was finally sent to the 
Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia 
and prominently placed in Memorial 
Hall, where it created a notable interest 


68 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


throughout the Exposition. After which 
by earnest request it was taken to Boston 
and exhibited for several weeks in the 
Old South Meetinghouse. Thence it was 
taken to the Corcoran Gallery at Wash- 
ington, thence to Chicago, San Francisco, 
and other cities, always by request—so 
great was the desire of the public to see 
the painting which had aroused such en- 
thusiasm in the hearts of a patriotic peo- 
ple. At last it found a permanent home 
in Abbot Hall at Marblehead, Mass., the 
gift to that old town of the late General 
J. H. Devereux, who purchased it from 
Willard to present it to the town of his 
birth. It stands in the old hall which 
breathes of historic patriotism. It is the 
pride of the people of Marblehead and of 
all Americans who visit it. 

‘Pictures have been painted by artists 
of great skill, possessing qualities of tech- 
nique of method, valuable beyond the 


J. F. RYDER’S ACCOUNT 69 


works of other artists; pictures which 
give pleasure to experts and connoisseurs. 
In the midst of such works ‘The Spirit of 
76’ stands. ‘The eye wanders from these 
works of great technique, and is awed by 
the grandeur of the old man, by the force 
of the fervid and devoted group, by the 
spirit which invades the whole. Mr. 
Willard with his powerful but, perhaps, 
less finished touch did more than please 
the eye of experts; he stirred the heart of 
a nation. 





Preliminary Sketches 
and Replicas 


Se ROR MALES CH oh 





: ‘ . ‘ : ( 
rah eg : ' 
an s : 
’ a 
| 
5 a { 
eh ~t 
, “ 7 . r’ f ' 
he Reed ”, 4 
any ' P ’ ) 
1 ; mY 
} ne 
o¥ 4 4 ’ 
q ‘ { 
Dist 
‘ 
. 
+ 
: 
S ’ 
7 ” ‘ 
* . x 
‘ 
J ' 
4 
/ 
# 
_ t 
Vey fi 
Vey ; 
\ 
i aN 
" : 
5 \ 
\ \ 
i ‘ 
f 
) 
{ 
\ 
a 














‘ “ 
¥ 
‘ 
+ 
‘ t 
; 
‘ 
y 
é 
: i. j 
” 
. * 
ay 4 ’ 
. ih 
+ 
‘ 4 
yf w 
Arey 
SF 
V i 
‘ V 
ws 
i = 
‘ 
J 
43 
A é 
» 
hy 
; 
2 * i 
a 
‘ 4 I 
A ‘ 
ne \ 
* 
\ N 
“ 4 a ‘ 
7 Li . 5 
{ 
A ' i 
i yf i 
bee ‘ A $ 
ss . 1 4 y 
‘ } iv ' i 
n 
= 
sbi 
1 7 
' t 7 a 











‘THE FINAL PRELIMINARY CRAYON STUDY SKETCH 


Showing one of the stages in the evolution of the finished painting. 
Believed to be the only study sketch now in existence 


~ 


The Preliminary Sketches 
and Replicas 


A number of preliminary sketches 
were made. Of these, I believe, only one 
is now in existence. It is owned by the 
Reverend William E. Barton of Oak 
Park, Illinois, who was formerly pastor 
of the First Congregational Church at 
Wellington, Ohio. It came into Doctor 
Barton’s possession in the following man- 
ner. In the preparation of his early 
sketches for the preliminary groupings, 
Mr. Willard was assisted by Mr. Wil- 
liam F. Sawtelle, a photographer of Wel- 
lington. Willard gave this original 
crayon sketch to Mr. Sawtelle. Mr. Saw- 
telle preserved it, expecting to pass it on 
to his son. His son died. Mr. Sawtelle 
was a member of Doctor Barton’s church. 


74 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


Upon the death of his son, Mr. Sawtelle 
gave this crayon sketch to Doctor Bar- 
ton. This original rough sketch embod- 
ies essentially the ideas wrought out in 
the oil painting, but naturally it is rough 
and unfinished. The drummer boy is a 
head shorter. His face is in the shadow. 
The dying man is much too prominent in 
the foreground, a mistake which Willard 
later corrected. Apart from these points, © 
it lacks altogether the spirit and inspira- 
tion which Willard worked into his fin- 
ished painting. 

Apart from the preliminary sketch re- 
ferred to in the preceding paragraph, 
Doctor Barton possesses an original 
painting of “The Spirit of ’76” made by 
Mr. Willard. This Willard executed in 
oils and in size thirty-four by twenty- 
eight inches. This painting was made in 
1916 and really constitutes the third and 
last original painting of “The Spirit of 


SKETCHES AND REPLICAS 75 


76” made by Mr. Willard. The original 
and the Cleveland replica are full size. 
This third painting is really executed in 
miniature. Willard did not attempt to 
make an exact copy; hence, in this small 
painting there are many variations from 
the two larger paintings. It was pre- 
sented to Doctor Barton. It was painted 
by Mr. Willard to replace a large photo- 
graph of “The Spirit of ’76” which was 
hanging in Doctor Barton’s home during 
one of Mr. Willard’s visits. Doctor Bar- 
ton’s home then being in Oak Park, I[lh- 
nois. The Reverend William E. Barton 
was for many years a close personal friend 
of Mr. Willard, and conducted his fun- 
eral services. Mr. Willard died at 4933 
Holyoke Avenue, Cleveland, October 11, 
1918. The funeral services were held in 
Cleveland, but the burial was in the 
Willard lot, among his old friends at 
Wellington, Ohio. 


76 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


Doctor Barton also possesses probably 
the only original sketch made to convey 
Willard’s original conception of what he 
intended to call “Yankee Doodle,” the 
idea of which was entirely changed after 
he met and talked with Ryder, and a pa- 
triotic instead of a humorous conception 
was decided on. Doctor Barton had 
asked Willard if he had any of his first 
sketches that were humorous, to which 
Willard had replied that he had not 
preserved any of these. Doctor Barton 
then asked him whether he had the orig- 
inal idea of the Fourth of July celebration 
which he had intended to call “Yankee 
Doodle” sufficiently in mind to make for 
Doctor Barton a sketch which would em- 
body Willard’s original conception for 
the painting. Willard replied that he 
had this original idea well in mind and 
would be glad to make for Doctor Barton 
a crayon sketch thereof. A little later 


SKETCHES AND REPLICAS a7 


Willard made this and in sending this to 
Doctor Barton, with characteristic humor 
entitled it “The First Sketch that was 
made Last.” ‘This sketch does not typify 
ne sopitit of 76.” It is’ merely the 
forerunner out of which “The Spirit of 
76” was evolved. It is strictly a humor- 
ous sketch of Fourth of July musicians 
marching. ‘The wonderful inspiration 
developed in ‘The Spirit of ’76” is en- 
tirely lacking. This Willard made for 
Doctor Barton in 1898. 

imor2 areplica of “The: Spirit of 
76” was made by Willard himself. Wil- 
lard was then 76 years of age. This re- 
plica was executed for the City of Cleve- 
land as a special Commission. This is 
located in a prominent place in the new 
City Hall at Cleveland. It is fitting that 
this replica should be available in Cleve- 
land where “The Spirit of ’76” was con- 
ceived and executed by a Cleveland artist 


78 “THE SPIRIT OF ’76” 


and painted from Cleveland and northern 
Ohio subjects. This replica naturally is 
not as well executed as the original. This 
would be almost impossible at Willard’s 
then advanced age. In this replica Wil- 
lard incorporated a number of changes. 
The coloring is different. He changed 
the arrangement of the stars from a circle 
of thirteen stars to a circle of nine with 
four stars in the center. He moderated 
the stride of the men. He changed the 
wounded soldier in the foreground to a 
more upright position. He changed the 
drummer boy. The drummer boy who 
posed in the Cleveland replica was Wil- 
lard’s grandson, Williard Connelly, a 
Cleveland Central High School boy. 

In 1917, another artist, James M. 
Flagg, painted a picture which he en- 
titled ‘“The Spirit of 1917” for which he 
took Willard’s idea, painting the men to 
look younger and putting them into mod- 


SKETCHES AND REPLICAS 79 


ern uniforms, making a few other changes 
and then taking credit for having origin- 
ated the picture. 


watt rgd 


* 
‘ 

5 
b 





Five hundred copies of this volume were privately 
printed, on Alexandra handmade paper, by ‘The 
Arthur H. Clark Company at Cleveland 
in the month of April, 1926 





, hip & 
7% a 


we’ 














' 
3 3 
+ 
' ‘ 
jo f} ‘ 
“et j 
Rig 
' 
i 
: 
J 
: 
{ 
' 
as 
¥ 
\ 
ear 
\ 
. 
4 
; i 
\ 
i 
. vd 
- 
' 
oe s 
Ss, . 
4 \ Pap 
i a 
; J 
‘ 
: 
; 
~ 
. p 2 
2 rn i 
i \S ' , 
| A 
. iq 
i 4 3 + he a 
; j ‘ 
, 
F ey 
y » 


as 


> 


ease 
a eae 


eae 


&. 





tk wy 
wry 








j : 
4 ne Ee] 
, ? + Te EL ; 
Ne 3 Ya Fah) Bary Pee ak ca Ae oweh ta ees 
rid , Dy toe At beg i ‘ . ives at tS i ' 4 - 4 
x. : ’ ’ , F ‘ t) hm Pt ery 
, ' ' : P 
‘ Lf : 
’ 
td 
> 1 
3 : 
. 
: 
. 
\ 
\) 
i 
‘oil 
- \ ; 
’ 
j 
\ 
4 
- eet et 
’ 
¥ 
; 
t 
\ 
‘ 
; 
‘ 
. 
j 
\ 
Bp 
\ t { : 
wae 
: { r f 
rae } 
vt ‘ k 
ca any » ; 
wr 
: mr 
‘ 





| OnE 
‘SPIRIT 
OF '76 


_ DEVEREUX 


1926 


VIN UU 
3 3125 01754 9003 





